Dubai energy forum gets underway

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai opened yesterday the first edition of Dubai Global Energy Forum (DGEF).

Organised by the Supreme Council for Energy in Dubai at Dubai International Trade Centre, the three-day international platform has so far drawn about 2,000 experts and specialists in the sector of energy from the UAE and 30 Arab and foreign countries.

Present during the inauguration were Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Dubai Ruler, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman, Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Energy in Dubai, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sheikh Hashr bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director of the Information Department in Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid, Former IndianPresident Abu Bakr Zein-al-Abideen Abdul-Kalam, Dr Mohammed El Baradaei, former IAEA chief, a number of ministers and senior officials.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Energy in Dubai, welcomed the participants, indicating that the UAE has been striving to set policies and mechanisms to ensure sustainability of energy for coming generations through adopting the best practices and efficient management.

He underlined the significance of coordination among different countries worldwide to adopt joint visions towards achieving sustainable development and welfare.

Al Tayer referred to bad practices that inflicted huge damage to environment, causing carbon emissions to reach their highest in the recent years.

He added that 154 countries signed the UN Convention on the Climate Change, which was ratified at the Brasil Earth Summit in 1992.

"Dubai is looking forward to producing about 12 per cent of required energy through the clean coal techniques, 12 per cent of energy through nuclear energy and five per cent through other renewable energy sources by 2030", he added.

Sheikh Mohammed welcomed the participants and hailed the forum for seeking alternatives energy sources to replace the rational ones to ensure future energy for the coming generations.

He presented the memento shields to the former Indian President, El Baradaei, Adnan Amin, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), Simon Cooper, the Deputy Chairman and CEO of HSBC Middle East and Africa in recognition for their contribution in the area of energy and service of humanity.

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